James Hagens' Four Goals Lead Bruins Past Sabres in Final Prospects Showcase Game

Boston sweeps Buffalo after picking up the victory in Game 2 on Monday afternoon.

Apr 14, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins forward James Hagens (44) gets set for a face-off during the second period against the New Jersey Devils at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Boston Bruins defeated the Buffalo Sabres 4-3 in overtime in the second game of the Prospects Showcase on Monday afternoon.

The Black & Gold go 2 for 2 at Prospects Showcase 👏 pic.twitter.com/OoCsTzm51m

— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) September 14, 2026

During the opening period, the Bruins found themselves in a spot they have not been in yet in the event- behind. 

The Sabres struck first at the 9:24 mark of the opening frame with a goal from defenseman Gavin McCarthy to go up 1-0 early. 

Both teams had a good opportunity to add a goal to the board in the final seconds of the first, but both came up empty handed. The result sent the Sabres into the first intermission with the 1-0 lead.

Defenseman Maxim Strbak extended Buffalo’s lead 2-0 at 13:53 of the second with his first goal of the event.  

Everything seemed to be going the Sabres way until late in the period.

In the final minutes of the frame, Sabres forward Cohen Bidgood went into the penalty box after being called for tripping. Bruins forward James Hagens capitalized on the advantage and cut Boston’s deficit in half 2-1 with a power-play goal at 18:12, his third goal over the past two days. 

At 19:18, McCarthy was called for a roughing penalty. 38 seconds later, Hagens knocked in another power play goal to knot things up at 2 heading into the second intermission.

Boston’s momentum carried into the third period. 

Early in the frame, the Bruins went on a 5-on-3 after Sabres forward Jake Richard and defenseman Vsevolod Komarov were both called for tripping less than a minute apart.

Hagens continued his hot streak and scored his third goal of the day at 2:41. The score not only gave the rookie a hat trick, but also put Boston up for the first time in the game 3-2. 

Hatty Hagens hit copy and paste three times in a row. https://t.co/I5LTx5rMwG pic.twitter.com/1tiXn2uEc5

— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) September 14, 2026

Boston’s lead was short lived as forward Liam Valente tied the game back up at 3 at 8:33. 

Down the stretch of the third, neither team could execute a goal and the contest remained tied at 3 at the end of regulation.

In overtime, the two teams played a five minute 3-on-3 period to determine the winner. 

Buffalo had an opportunity to earn the win after going onto the power play at 1:08 due to Bruins forward Thomas Zocco picking up a tripping penalty, but the Bruins killed it off. 

After the penalty kill, Hagens cemented the win for the Bruins 4-3 with his fourth goal of the day at 4:23.

With the result, the Bruins sweep the Prospects Showcase. Boston won Game 1 6-2 on Sunday night.

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